Pediatrics is the medical specialty dedicated to the care and follow-up of children and adolescents, monitoring health and controlling disease from birth to adulthood.
In accordance with WHO guidelines, Pediatrics understands child health as the full state of physical, mental and social well-being.

It is their responsibility not only to diagnose and treat the sick child, minimizing the complications of the disease, but also to act at the level of prevention.

The pediatrician also advises the family on issues such as nutrition, breastfeeding, vaccination and accident prevention.

Although visits to the pediatrician are more frequent in the first few years, it is essential for older children and young people to have regular medical care, even in the absence of illness, with the aim of:

• Providing advice on healthy lifestyle habits and disease prevention;
• Providing advice on vaccinations;
• Monitoring healthy growth and development within the appropriate parameters;
• Ensuring psychological and emotional well-being, promoting proper integration into school and social life;
• Carrying out regular health checks;
• Identifying situations that may require intervention from other clinical areas.

The most common illnesses treated in this specialty include:

• Respiratory infections – colds, otitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, pneumonia;
• Gastrointestinal infections.